Meister Seelig & Schuster is expanding into Nashville in 2026 and has tapped Kim Hodde to lead the firm's criminal defense practice there. Hodde will also be responsible for growing the new office in a variety of practice areas.
The move adds Kimberly S. Hodde's practice to the midsize firm, which is known for representing a slew of celebrities. The Nashville push gives Meister Seelig & Schuster a foothold in a new market while placing a criminal defense attorney at the center of that effort.
For Hodde, the assignment is broader than one courtroom lane. The firm said the new office will not be built around a single specialty, but expanded across several lines of work as it establishes itself in Nashville. That makes her role one of both legal leadership and business development, with the office still early in its buildout.
The timing matters because both the relocation and the practice addition are slated for 2026, putting the firm in motion now for a launch that will reshape its footprint. The open question is how quickly the Nashville office can turn a celebrity-heavy brand into a broader regional presence, and Hodde is the person the firm has chosen to test that answer.
